Electronic medical warning device

ABSTRACT

An improvement over the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,885 consisting of the incorporation into the control circuitry of time delay means serving to delay activation of the message playback means for a predetermined time after the attitude switch has become closed due to collapse or seizure of the wearer of the device. Included in the improved control system is a manually operable switch permitting the wearer or user of the device to bypass the delay circuit and thereby instantly activate the device in the event that he senses that a blackout or loss of ability to personally communicate is imminent.

United States Patent 1191 Barkley 1111 3,866,204 1 Feb. 11, 1975ELECTRONIC MEDICAL WARNING DEVKIE Primary ExaminerThomas B. Habecker[76] Inventor: James H. Barkley, 1567 S. Jamaica. Attorney Agent or F.mNaylOr' Neal & Ullkema Aurora, Colo. 80012 22 Filed: July ,19, 1973 1571ABSTRACT [21] App]. 3 0 7 An improvement over the device disclosed inUS. Pat. No. 3,634,885 consisting of the incorporation into the controlcircuitry of time delay means serving to delay [52] US. Cl 340/279,340/221, 360/12 activation of the message playback means for a prede[51] Ill. Cl. ..'G08b 21/00 termined time after the attitude Switch hasbecome [58] new of Search 340/279 221-; 179/1001 C closed due tocollapse or seizure of the wearer of the device. Included in theimproved control system is a [56] References C'ted manually operableswitch permitting the wearer or UNITED STATES PATENTS user of the deviceto bypass the delay circuit and 3,026,503 3/1962 Scheer 340/279 therebyinstantly activate the ice n the e ent that 3,588,858 6/1971 Demuth340/279 he senses that a blackout or loss of ability to person-3.634,885 1/1972 Barkley, 340/221 ally communicate is imminent,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3 Claims, znrawing Figures 919,7652/1963 Great Britain .1 340/279 ATTITUDE SWITCH I 34 :2- POWER v 7 s um:28 42 DELAY I60 f ili M1 ON-OFF SWITCH I8 62 40 CLOCK t LATCH C LOGIC Z6RESET SWITCH 52 7'1 1 POWER 4 SWITCH MANUAL SWITCH PATENTEB FEB 1 1 I975ATTITUDE I SWITCH 34 POWER SOUR DELAY 0 h CLOCK LATCH LOGIC 26 SH '4SWITCH 5 JFMANUAL SWITCH ANNUNCIATOK ELECTRONIC MEDICAL WARNING DEVICEVarious objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the drawingformingpart of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block-schematic showing of a preferred embodiment of theimprovement of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the invention.

The disclosure set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,634,885 is hereby incorportedherein by reference. In FIG. 1, components corresponding to those of thedrawings of US. Pat. No. 3,634,885 are identified by the same referencenumbers. A comparison of present FIG. 1 with FIG. 4 of US. Pat No.3,634,885 will indicate that the former differs from the latter inembodying (l) delay means 60 and clock and latch logic means 62 betweenthe attitude switch 34 and the latching relay or power switch 32 and (2)a manual switch 64 whereby the attitude sensing, the delay and the clockand latching circuitry may be bypassed when the wearer or user of thedevice senses an imminent state of seizure or blackout.

The delay means 60 includes a timing capacitor 66 adapted to be chargedand provide an output signal to.

the clock and latch logic means 62 a predetermined time, say seconds,after the closing of the attitude or mercury switch 34. Thereafter thenand'gates 68 of the clock and latch logic means 62 serve to cause theclosing of the latching relay or power switch 32 and thereby actuate themotor drive 40 and the annunclator of the warning message.

As previously, the on-off switch 18 is preset to the closed position.Closing of switch 64, as previously stated, then connects the battery 28directly with the drive motor 40.

Other trip logic means may be readily employed. For instance, the timedelay and power switch tripping circuit may comprise a resistancecapacitance set, for example, at 20 seconds, clock means to measure thelength of the pulse, pulse-length responsive means operable upon theoccurrence of a flip-flop going high to turn on the power transitor andenable the driving of a load of 7 8 or 9 volts at 150 ma. Such circuitrymay be incorporated into the logic system to enable the connection ofpower to standby logic for as long as the shelf life of the battery,i.e., without measurable current drain.

The trip logic system, i.e., the built-in predetermined time delaysystem between the closing of the attitude switch and the actuation ofthe annunciator, serves to prevent actuation of the annunciator due tomere splash-bridging of the contacts of the exemplary mercury typeattitude switch and serves to prevent such actuation when, for example,the wearer slides headlong into third base unless of course he fails toarise within the programmed allotted time.

What is claimed is:

1. A warning device to be attached to a person prone to incapacitatingmedical conditions or prostrating seizures comprising a warning signalannunciator which when activated repeatedly emits a recorded verbalmessage to inform bystanders of the nature of such persons condition orseizure and how he is to be treated prior to the arrival of medical aid,a power supply for the annunciator, and control means to connect thepower supply with the annunciator, said control means comprising sensingmeans operable to sense the existence of a supine or non-erect positionof the wearer of the device and to transmit a signal only during thetime the wearer is in such position, a switch operable upon closure toconnect the power supply to the annunclator despite a subsequent changein the wearers position from supine to a normal one, and time delaymeans to receive said signal and in response to the receipt of saidsignal for a predetermined period of time to close said switch.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a manual switch connected inparallel to said first-mentioned switch and operable upon being closedto connect the power supply to the annunciator in bypassed relation tosaid control means.

3. A warning device to be attached to a person prone to incapacitatingmedical conditions or prostrating seizures comprising a warning signalannunciator which when activated repeatedly broadcasts a prerecordedmessage to inform bystanders ofthe nature of such persons condition orseizure and how he is to be treated prior to the arrival of medical aid,at power supply therefor, attitude-sensing means, switch means toconnect the power supply to the annunciator, and time delay meansoperable in response-to the sensing of an attitude by said sensing meansfor a predetermined period of time to operate the switch means.

1. A warning device to be attached to a person prone to incapacitatingmediCal conditions or prostrating seizures comprising a warning signalannunciator which when activated repeatedly emits a recorded verbalmessage to inform bystanders of the nature of such person''s conditionor seizure and how he is to be treated prior to the arrival of medicalaid, a power supply for the annunciator, and control means to connectthe power supply with the annunciator, said control means comprisingsensing means operable to sense the existence of a supine or nonerectposition of the wearer of the device and to transmit a signal onlyduring the time the wearer is in such position, a switch operable uponclosure to connect the power supply to the annunciator despite asubsequent change in the wearer''s position from supine to a normal one,and time delay means to receive said signal and in response to thereceipt of said signal for a predetermined period of time to close saidswitch.
 2. The combination of claim 1 including a manual switchconnected in parallel to said first-mentioned switch and operable uponbeing closed to connect the power supply to the annunciator in bypassedrelation to said control means.
 3. A warning device to be attached to aperson prone to incapacitating medical conditions or prostratingseizures comprising a warning signal annunciator which when activatedrepeatedly broadcasts a prerecorded message to inform bystanders of thenature of such person''s condition or seizure and how he is to betreated prior to the arrival of medical aid, a power supply therefor,attitude-sensing means, switch means to connect the power supply to theannunciator, and time delay means operable in response to the sensing ofan attitude by said sensing means for a predetermined period of time tooperate the switch means.